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September 29, 2006

Grand Jury clears officer who killed shoplifting suspect

NORTH SMITHFIELD _ A Providence County Grand Jury returned no indictment today in the case of a town police officer who shot and killed a shoplifting suspect in supermarket parking lot in July.

The shooting occurred on July 2, when patrolman Russell B. Amato shot and killed James Wilcox, 34, of 22 Beecher St., Pawtucket after the police said Wilcox tried to run him down with his van.

Another man and Wilcox’ five-year-old daughter, who were also in the van, were not hurt. As is common procedure when a local police office kills a suspect, the case was turned over to the state police and presented to a grand jury.

Beryl Kenyon, spokeswoman for Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch, said the grand jury reported no indictment, which mean the grand juror reviewed the evidence and found no violation of state law.

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 4:46 PM | Permalink

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